Man Accused Of Multiple Rapes Has Preliminary Hearing

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The fire alleged rape victim stood several feet from William Dixon in court as she relived a sexual assault that police say happened on June 9.

The woman claims she was walking in the lower Hill District to a speak easy on Watson Street, when Dixon offered her a ride. She said Dixon bypassed the speak easy and took her to Columbo Street in Garfield, where he raped her.

She testified that Dixon hit her in the back with a brick and she submitted to his sexual advances.

“When asked whether or not the person was in the courtroom, she looked right at Mr. Dixon, she said to the DA, ‘that’s not him,’ and then she said the person that attacked her was taller and skinnier,” Sheets said.

Sheets says his client was wearing a cast for a broken hand and wonders how he was able to assault her with a brick and questions her credibility.

“It has nothing to do with the fact that she has prior arrests for prostitution,” Sheets said. “She herself tells the police she was going to an establishment to sell prescription narcotics. I think this was a situation of prostitution where she didn’t get paid.”

“If he did rape her … she could have bitten his hand more, scratched him, bit him or anything,” Dixon’s mother Martha said. “He had no marks on his arm and she didn’t fight back at all.”

Dixon was held over for trial in the first case, he has another hearing scheduled next month for allegedly raping a second victim. Police say there is also a third victim who refuses to come forward.

In the meantime, he’s locked up on $200,000 bond in the Allegheny County Jail.

Bob Allen joined the KDKA-TV team in January 2000 as a General Assignment reporter.
Bob began his broadcasting career in 1979 at Beaver Falls radio station WBVP. From there, he went on to WKBN Radio in Youngstown. His first television job was also...